Swedes (5030)

Sweden lost over a million of its citizens to the American Pioneer Flood between 1860 and 1910. Their departure left Swedish houses vacated, filled in-part thereafter by Danes who were ethnically cleansed from Germany’s 2 new northern counties, Schleswig-Holstein. Reasons for this voluntary migration: religious repression practiced by the State Church, social conservatism, class snobbery, crop failures, and population growth. 1 in 3 left and their letters sent home painted an earthly American paradise, along with the joy of religious and political freedom, and undreamed-of opportunities to better one’s condition. These reports fueled the flood of Snail mail Followers, (1 in 3), and caused a Swedish emigration commission to recommend social and economic reform by: “bringing the best sides of America to Sweden.” Their proposals were implemented: universal male suffrage, better housing, general economic development, and broader popular and public education; all these concepts were American to the core. America changed the World by its example, still the best way to teach and learn at any level. The migrants’ KSAs were high (K=knowledge (education), S=skills (training) and A=ability (God given)) and allowed individuals to “frost their own cake” with their Interests and Effort. This writer’s Great-Grandfather sold his woodworking store in Sweden and brought his wife and 2 teenagers to Kansas, then Puyallup, then to a Pilchuck homestead of 160 acres. His surname was “Anderson,” as are those of seemingly ½ the counties in northern Minnesota and much of Scandinavia. Before leaving Sweden the Mayor of his town (also the minister and tax-collector, doing double duty and hated by almost all) changed Anderson family names to a close-by geologic feature, i.e., Nordstrom, Hemstrom … north, home stream). This Swedish Hemstrom’s often voiced lesson to his grandchildren, “This Land is Heaven on Earth.” Again, the main draws for immigration were reports from Swedish emigrants painting an earthly American paradise: along with religious and political freedom, offering undreamed-of opportunities to better one’s condition. An emigration commission was instituted in 1907 in Sweden to recommend social and economic reform in order to reduce emigration by: “bringing the best sides of America to Sweden.”